Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin will pay a three-day visit to Japan from May 11 to hold talks with Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso and attend a business forum, Japan’s Kyodo News reported on Apr. 30.
In their scheduled talks, the two leaders are expected to discuss a territorial row over four Russian-administered islands off Hokkaido, among other issues, Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Takeo Kawamura was quoted as telling a press conference.
The meeting was agreed between the Japanese PM and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev during their talks in Sakhalin on Feb. 18.
In the February meeting, President Medvedev proposed taking a “creative and unconventional approach” toward the sovereignty dispute over the four islands of Kunashiri, Etorofu, Shikotan and the Habomai islet group.
Kawamura said the Japanese government is expecting a clear response from Moscow on the territorial dispute during Putin's upcoming visit, while denying that Japan will offer any new proposals.
During his visit to Japan, PM Putin is also scheduled to attend a Japan-Russia business forum as part of exchanges with Japanese business circles./.